War in the Dunes
by Unheard Flipper
Summary: Earth has changed. Now nothing more then a sand blown desert, the remains of Humanity fight a never ending conflict to ensure survival. Against the savage Frieber Tribes the Coalition stands to protect the last bastions of humanity. The Hives.


Well I guess I need a disclaimer don't I. Well too bad Disney! I OWN ALL! Mwhahahahahaha!

I would also like to thank Guy Fawkes522, and SEADragon1588 for helping me plan this fic out. Thanks guys! Now with out any a due, on to the story.

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**War in the Dunes:** _Prologue: The Beginning_

The Bad Lands. Nothing but sand, rock, and dust. These were lands where howling winds kicked up billowing sandstorms, with such intensity that they would strip the flesh of the bones of men. It was in these lands, amongst the sands, dunes, the wild and savage tribes of Frieber, and the deadly poisonous air that the Coalition, the remains of what had been the United States of America southern Canada, and northern Mexico fought a daily battle for survival. The Hive Cities, great domed cities, created to protect their inhabitants from the deadly, bacteria infused air, were mostly overpopulated slums. Strict rationing, of food and water made life agonizingly difficult. But humanity still survived. It clung to existence, the way a sick and dying man clings hopelessly to life. Humanity was sick. Humanity was dying. But as always, Humanity refused to die.

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And to think, all it took to bring Humanity to its knees was a small, frail desert flower, a flower discovered by a multi-national team of biologists.

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The flower amazed them; it acted like a carnivorous planet, absorbing nutrients from small insects that it killed. But instead of trapping the small insects, the biologists discovered that it produced a small amount of deadly bacteria, which killed the flies as they approached the sweet smelling, plant. The flower's extensive, and quite robust root system, would then wrap around the insect and use it for nutrients, in it otherwise dry, and lifeless environment.

Humans have a saying, "curiosity killed the cat." Yet it was their own curiosity, their need to understand their world that, ultimately lead to their destruction. No one knew, that such a noble goal as trying to understand their world, would lead to such consequences. The biologist team, brought the flower back to the States, and studied it. They preformed experiments, and tested the deadly bacteria on other animals. They discovered that the bacteria produced by the plant, was in such small amounts, that it only affected small insects. So they experimented, and concentrated the bacteria. After two years of work, the team could kill a mouse, quite quickly, and quite painlessly with such a relatively small dose. What amazed the scientist even more was how quickly the bacteria died. With in twenty seconds of killing all life in the controlled environment, the bacteria vanished, and died.

Soon the team was conducting experiments on larger and larger animals. Even a small dose, of the new concentrated bacteria, could kill a large cow, in a small amount of time. The US military had seen enough. A blast of this stuff into insurgent caves, or bomb shelters, would save hundreds, even thousands of American lives. In 2011 the first test of Bacteria XXII was used in a Taliban cave complex. Two hundred Taliban insurgents were killed in less than twenty minutes. The military proclaimed the bacteria a success. With in another two months, thirty four caves, bomb shelters, and underground complexes where hit with the concentrated bacteria. An estimated twenty-thousand men were killed.

America held the new super weapon. A deadly, untraceable, undetectable, and quick vanishing bacteria. Imagine their surprise, when not only did the UN denounce the States for using and developing such a bio-weapon, that they denounced China and Iran for developing the same weapon. The planet Earth stood yet again on the brink of destruction. America knew that either of these countries would release the bacteria with out a second thought. Casualties would be enormous. Even the most optimums of scenarios predicted, between one-hundred-fifty million to two-hundred-fifty million, as well as large portions of the fertile belt lost. These early estimates did not including large portions of southern Canada, and northern Mexico. Grimmer and more universally accepted reports, estimated losses of upward to three-hundred million in America alone, not counting another hundred million in northern Mexico, and another twenty five million in Canada. A scenario deemed unacceptable by American politicians and military planners.

The Quebec City Summit of 2012 solved that. Scientist devised a new city, which would keep its population safe, as well as allow them to become self sufficient. At least in the terms of food and water. What the scientist had devised was a city constructed in a giant dome. These domes would filter the air, purging it of the airborne bacteria, until the all clear was given. To contain as many people as possible, and free up as much space for food as possible, and to give as much support to the large dome, huge apartment buildings would be constructed in the middle of the city, while the outer circle would be free for farming. It was estimated that the soil would provide the cities population, enough food for a least twelve years. More then enough to see the city through a Bio-weapon attack. Construction of these new 'Hives' began almost immediately, and within twenty years over a dozen and a half were built, twelve in the States, six in Canada, and two in Mexico, while another twenty four Hives well underway. By the time the Sino-NATO War begins, in 2062 over twenty seven Hives have been completed, sheltering one hundred and fifty million people.

During the beginning of the Sino-NATO war, the Chinese forces seem all but unstoppable, as they pushed into Canada, capturing Prince George, almost unopposed, the Chinese Seventh Army cut through BC's interior, and pushed straight towards Vancouver, in hopes of linking up with the Chinese Ninth Army, cutting their way north through California. However in the outskirts of Vancouver, the Chinese were checked by the Thirty Ninth Brigade group. Though heavily outnumbered, the Canadians refused to give up, and inflicted massive casualties on the Chinese, forcing the Chinese Tenth Army to shift from Alaska, and pushed south, to reinforce the faltering Seventh. In California however, the Americans repulsed, and destroyed the Ninth Army, while a joint Task Force consisting of the American Pacific fleet, and elements of the Royal Navy, engaged and defeated the Chinese Eastern Fleet. However the Northern Fleet was able to avoid a direct engagement, and inflicted several losses, including the sinking of two American aircraft carries, and a British heavy cruiser. With California, and the west coast deemed secure, the American army moved north to help its beleaguered allies, now holding the line a few kilometers outside of Vancouver.

With both of the Chinese fleets withdrawn, American pilots had complete control of the air. Chinese positions were bombed night and day, while Canadian and American forces counterattacked. At the Battle of Kamloops in January 2062, both Chinese Armies were routed, though suffering heavy casualties; they made sure that every bit of gained ground was paid for. Americans suffered nine thousand men dead, with another twenty four thousand wounded, while the Canadian 1st Mechanized Brigade Group essentially ceased to exist as a fighting unit, and was pulled back to be reinforced and resupplied. At the Battle for White Horse in 2064 however, The Canadian 1st Mechanized Brigade Group got its chance for revenge, as it lead the Canadian charge into the Tenth Army's right flank, capturing the Chinese HQ as well as General Xu Wĕi, the orchestrator of the Chinese invasion of North America.

With the Peoples Liberation Army defeated in North America, NATO decided to go on the offensive. The Chinese responded with Bacteria XXIV, a more advanced solution of the bacteria, than the one in the States. On the Forth of July 2065, a Chinese sleeper agent released the bacteria. Hundreds of millions died. Streets were filled with bodies were people had just collapsed after they had died. The Chinese were exuberant. They had struck a fatal blow on their enemies. Now all they had to do was wait for the bacteria to dissipate, and they would be free to deal with those who still clung to life in the Hives. What the Chinese had failed to realize, was that the bacteria, had grown in an almost, moisture less environment. An environment that prevented the spread, and the growth of this deadly bacteria. Now in an atmosphere full of moisture, the bacteria exploded. Every living thing in North America died, within thirty days. But the bacteria continued to spread; the oceans became nothing more then dead seas, as the bacteria cleansed the waters of all plants and animals. The Amazon rainforest died, and became nothing more then dry wood for the massive forest fires that spread all over the world. The Bacteria had changed the very world. The seas were gone, the lakes and the rivers had dried up. The only water available now was up in a thin belt in the atmosphere, or deep below ground. Slowly the soil of the world turned to dust, as it was baked under the scorching sun. The Earth, once a bright blue and dark green ball, full of life, was gone. A barren planet floated in its place, were only a hundred million survivors now lived, clinging to life inside their Hives.

At first, life in the Hives was great. People continued on with their daily lives, Men and women went to work, children went to school, neighbors generally got along, and crime was deterred by the numerous surveillance systems, and quick responding police forces, equipped with the latest in non lethal weaponry, prompting some people to mention that Big Brother was watching. But the governments of most of the Hives were very hands off in people's lives, really only taking interest in making sure that the Hive kept running until the all clear was given. But soon one year became two, two years became four, four years became eight, and there still was no all clear. The populations in the Hives began to grow, and food supplies were getting lower and lower. The leaders of the Hives had no choice; they knew that their Hives would begin to starve if something wasn't done. Finally, after dozens of meetings on telecoms, the self governing Hives knew that if they were to survive, they must begin trading with each other.

Volunteers where selected, and outfitted with, heavy protective clothing, to save them from the deadly bacteria, that still filled the air. These brave men and women were sent out into the Bad Lands to find the other Hives, and trade what they could for more food many did not return, but those who did, did not just bring back food, or water, they brought back tales of the other survivors, they brought back hope that the remains of humanity would survive to see a new age. Little did they know that they would see their new age, paved in the fires of war, and the blood of those they thought friends, and those they treasured as family.

Though hope was renewed, and trade was somewhat supplementing their rapidly decreasing food supply, the leaders of the Hives realized that if something was not done now then the Hives would face a famine. Seventeen years after Bacteria XXIV, rationing was finally put into place. A strict diet of two thousand calories a day was issued.

However, the population continued to increase, rationing became stricter and stricter, the daily allowance dropped a little more each year, and people became hungry. Humans had another saying, "a hungry man is an angry man." The leaders of the Hives were about to find out what a hungry man could do. Finally, people couldn't take it anymore; the rationing had dropped to one thousand calories a day. Protest against rationing sprang up all over the Hives. At first, most leaders were tolerant of the protesters, they too were hungry after all, not as hungry as the regular people, civic servants had an extra five hundred calories in their diets after all. The protester loudly demanded that the daily ration be put back to two thousand calories again. The governments refused, if they did that then everybody would starve with in a year. Finally the people had enough; they revolted against the Hive governments. The Hive leaders dispatched police to put a stop to these rioters and rebels, but most surrendered to the angry groups, sympathetic to newly christened Free People's cause. After all, the police were hungry too.

Day after day, across every Hive the Free People became stronger and stronger, as more and more people flocked to their banners. The paramilitary police often stood aside, or worse, surrendered to the rioters. Then came the Jameston Incident. Hive Jameston was one of the larger Hives containing ten million people. Jameston was also richer then the other Hives, due to the fact that it was located above a large underground lake, a valuable trading commodity, yet Jameston had the lowest ration of them all, one thousand calories a day for normal citizens. The riots as such were far more violent, as Jameston's leaders cracked down on the rioters, dozens, on both sides were either killed or injured, as the Jameston council bribed police with extra food into doing their jobs. A year after the Free People's Revolt began; the rioters attacked a police HQ. Though some fought, most surrendered, tired of being the Council's thugs. The rioters, however, had different ideas; half crazed with hunger they slaughtered the police force. Two hundred men were butchered, without pity or mercy. The starving rioters noticed something then. Humans were made of meat… and meat was a form of food. As the rioters descended into a feeding frenzy, six survivors of the massacre escaped with the tale of what they had witnessed, and the police HQ's surveillance tapes.

Reports of similar atrocities now flooded the Hives; people knew that something had to be done. For to long they had allowed these Free People to roam free, and do what they wanted, now they were butchering, and consuming friends and loved ones. The Hive Governments realized that with out unification, they would not be able to hold back the Free People. And so twenty years after the Bacteria was let loose on the world, the Hive Coalition was formed. The independent Hive city states bound together in a military alliance to defeat the Free People. Men and women were both drafted into the newly created Coalition Forces, and the industrial Hives were now given new items to produce; guns, tanks, and trucks.

At first, the Coalition Forces did poorly; outnumbered, untrained, and barely armed with only a few pistols, they ran from the multitudes of Free People, who gave chase, killing any stragglers they found. Sometimes they stood, firing what scant few weapons the had, while others used, batons, bats, and other makeshift weapons to keep the hordes away. Slowly that changed. The Coalition outfitted it's soldiers in new uniforms; heavy trench coats, gloves, boots covered their bodies, while, steel helmets, gas mask like breather masks connected to a portable air filter attached to their back of their belts, and dark tinted goggles, made the troops look like soulless machines, and gave pause to the Free People. If the Coalition's uniforms gave the Free People pause, it was their rifles that caused them to break and run. The semi-automatic weapon was based on a simple concept. Make a small entrance wound… make an even large exit wound. The M94 'Scorpion" fired a .338 armor penetrating spike. Against the unarmoured Free People, a single spike could rip through six or seven people.

Hives that had been on the verge of collapse were suddenly and quickly reinforced by Coalition forces that marched, or were transported in their heavy duty trucks. Their personal air filters purging the bacteria and allowing them to breath. In a single year causalities among the Free People had grown so astronomically large, that they finally gave up, surrendering to the Coalition Forces. The Coalition, however, was not so forgiving and several attempts at surrendering turned into brutal massacres. Finally after three years of revolt, the Free People were crushed. Out of the seventy-nine million who revolted, eight million where killed in the vicious street battles. The rest were arrested and tried. Eleven million where found free of involvement, most had left the Free People to join the Coalition, when the tales of cannibalism where validated. The rest where found guilty, and because they were not enough prisons for the defeated Free People, the Coalition decided to give the Free People what they wanted, a home with out rationing, where they could be free. Sixty million Free People where banished into the Bad Lands, with only the cloths on their backs, and a breather mask. Crowds gathered at the gates of the Hives, as each group of Free People was sent through, never to return. Some of the crowds cheered, and mocked them, others wept as family members, or lovers where forced through the gate.

But what caught the people of the Hives attention was not the number of people banished, but the fact that Jon Stoppable's, a respected Jameston Coalition officer, fiancée was accused of giving information to the Jameston Free People. Jon refused to believe that his bride-to-be, Mim Possible, could be involved. During her trial, however Mim, admit not only to using her husband to be, for information that would assist the Jameston Free People, but that she was responsible for the Jameston Incident, and had known for a while what the Free People were doing for food. When asked why she did it, Mim told those gathered, "We were responsible for what happened. We, who watched as the population exploded, yet did nothing to stop it. These people were starving, yet we stood by as the government horded food for themselves, and their friends. I regret that people died, I regret that we could never have solved this peacefully. But most of all… I regret that I fooled a kind, and wonderful man into believing that I loved him."

Jon Stoppable walked out of the trail a broken man. His eyes were dry, having run out of tears long ago, while his dark brown eyes, stared off, far into the distance. During the entire trial Jon had only spoken once, pleading with the judge to spare her punishment; that Mim had only ever tried to do good for this world. The judge however ignored him, and sentenced not only Mim, but her immediate family as well, to suffer the pain of banishment. In their apartment, the apartment that they had bought together, the apartment where she had told him they would live, where they would raise a family, Jon stood guard. Day and night, dressed in his finest uniform, watching as every group of Free People was forced out into the Bad Lands. Suddenly, Jon stiffened, as a group passed into the Inner Gate. Jon knew, some how he just knew, that was her group, unable to stop himself, and the tears flowed again from his eyes. Slowly his hand dropped towards his side, and the service pistol, and slowly pulled it from its holster. The pistol had seen him through the revolt, and it had saved him many times. But now, now it would save him from the horrors of this world. Without any hesitation, without any regret, Jon brought the pistol up, and rested it by his temple. "Goodbye Mim, I'm sorry it has to end this way."

As Mim was pushed out into the Bad Lands, her heart stopped. Just for a moment, she thought she heard Jon's voice, saying goodbye to her, saying that he was sorry. Mim somehow knew that Jon… That Jon was gone.

Jon was discovered a day later by his younger brother, who had called multiple times to see if his older brother was alright. Jon lay on the floor where he had collapsed; his left hand clutched a picture of Mim.

In the Bad Lands the Free People trudge along, looking for food, water and shelter. Knowing their only chance at survival was to stick together, the traveled the Bad Lands, in large groups. Slowly their numbers began to shrink, they died of thirst, they died of hunger, and they died of exhaustion. But mostly they died from overexposure to bacteria plagued air. Three in five died the majority of those who did, became food for the survivors. Over the next few years the wandering Tribes of the Free People discovered their salvation. Caves that lead deep underground became a natural growing spot for a certain algae, algae that lived off the bacteria that now made living above ground impossible. In these caves the Free People carved out a life. A hard and difficult life; often filled with conflict as the fought the other groups of the banished Free People for scant resources. The Free People learned to survive in the Bad Lands meant they must be become strong, and that strength would only come from war.

Even Mim, who had tried so valiantly to ease Humanity's suffering, had come realize this. Mim knew, that the only way for her people to survive, was through war, to be stronger then the other Free People who would take what they wanted from Mim's people if they didn't fight. Mim's people were luckier then others. A great earthquake had opened a chasm deep underground, almost thirty years before the war. A large herd of cows had descended into the underground caves, where they became lost. Surviving of the vast growth of algae, that later cleaned the air of the deadly bacteria. As Mim's people descended into these caves, they discovered the thousands of cows who now lived in the dark dank underground. Mim's people had discovered an alternative food source then what they had lived off of for the past three years. This Mim knew was their home now. And heaven help any Free People, or Coalition who tried to take it from them.

As the Free People tribes settled in their caves, the side effects of the bacteria became apparent. The bacteria, not able to infect, the lungs, infected the reproductive organs of those that were banished. Though millions died of the infection, those that survived had discovered something. They were extra fertile. Single births were now incredibly rare, as twins, and triplets were born with greater and greater frequency. With the population explosion, the Free People became even more desperate, as food became scarcer, scarcer. They attacked each other, venturing out in the Bad Lands to raid each others caves. Those captured became slaves, the last defense against starvation. Those that died became food for the hungry. Even Mim's people captured slaves, though these were more for tending the herds of cows, and the field of algae, then a food source.

Four hundred years have passed, and the Free People changed, and evolved. Their skin became thicker, and better suited to retaining water. Their teeth had also changed, to suite their diet; instead of four canines, they now had eight, sharp and long, perfect for striping meat of the bone. Even their language had changed and evolved, no longer were they the Free People, they now called themselves the Frieber. They now fight a never ending war against the other Frieber Tribes, and the Coalition; raiding Coalition military outpost, and even attacking the Hives. To the Frieber, fighting is a religion, and one they fanatically follow, training by day and night with their favoured weapon, the Shirik; a short two handed staff, with a razor sharp blade on one end, and a heavy knotted club on the other.

It was against these knuckle dragging fanatics that Trooper Ronald Stoppable now found himself facing. Not that he had asked for it. In truth Ron would much rather be at home in Hive Jameston, playing holo games, eating at the several Tex Mex restaurants that Jameston was famous for, or hanging out with his buddy Felix Renton. But Hive Jameston was a Hive under military control. As such every man and woman had to serve their five years in the Coalition Forces. So, though he was a conscript, it wasn't too bad. He was still with Felix after all. Both had been drafted at the same time. Unfortunately they had been recruited just as the Coalition was starting a campaign to retake Hive Madre, a Hive that was overran three years ago by a large and determined Frieber Tribe. Needless to say, Ron had not taken the marching orders well.

"Aww, man, this tanks." Ron whined, "you know that buddy? I mean, I can barely keep my pants on, and now the higher ups are dragging us halfway across this damn desert to fight the savages."

Felix snickered as he sat on his bunk, across from his friend. "Hey it could be worse Ron-man. We could be out on patrol like the other vets. I'm sure the Captain would love to transfer you out of this unit. Especially since you almost took his head off during training."

"Hey, it wasn't my fault; the gun was faulty when they gave it to me!"

"So every mishap that happens around you is due to faulty weaponry, or mechanics?"

"Exactly!" Ron exclaimed, happy to get to the point of the problem. Now that said problem was solved, Ron returned to scavenging around in his kit, looking for other parts of his uniform, amongst the refuses that he had collected over the years.

Felix however was not so quick to let the subject go. "But I thought you said that the part of Stoppable specialties was breaking things?"

Ron stopped digging through his trunk, a boot in one hand, a crumpled comic in the other. Only the sound of the air purifier could be heard in the large empty barracks, the other guys were still eating.

"Yeah… I guess it is." Ron admitted, "But hey is it my fault that everything hates me?"

But Ron's unconquerable optimism picked up almost at once. A wide, goofy grin spread across his face, as he turned to face his friend. "But guess what Felix? There's no one that can match the Ronman's skills in the kitchen."

Satisfied that he did indeed, have some usefulness, Ron tossed the ruined comic, and continued to search for the reaming pieces of uniform, as the other soldiers of their unit slowly trickled back into the barracks. Some laid back on their cots to get some sleep, others, wrote or read letters from home, while yet others struck up card games, gambling what little money they had. Though they tried to present the picture, of carefree, and bored. The air was thick with tension. They had been given orders to be ready to move out, now the men were playing the waiting game.

They didn't have long. The door to their barracks burst open, as Captain Barkin, marched in. Standing at just over six feet four, Barkin was built like a line backer. Physically intimidating, the men under his command often said that even the fiercest Frieber warriors would turn and run. Barkin was a pure and uncomplicated soldier, who could eat steel, and crap out bullets.

With a simple barked order Barkin lived up to his reputation. "On your feet shit heads! I want you boys armed and ready to march in a hour! Were moving to take back Hive Madre!"

With his demands made, the large broad shoulder man turned and left, as men rushed about, preparing for their long march in the Bad Lands.

Ron took a look at Felix, who shrugged as he slipped his air mask over his head.

"Well… Here we go." Ron whispered, as he slipped on his own mask.

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This has been bouncing in my head for a long time. So I figured that I would just write it to get it out of my head. I know a lot of you guys are waiting on my other fics, but don't worry. Brood War and this will be finished first, then I'll work on Diamonds, Guns, and Mercs, and Deadpool, and then finish up with the Terran Crusades, and a Lord of the Rings fic that's also been bugging me. So read, review, enjoy, and I'll try and get my other fics up.

GKN


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